The invention relates to a sterile container, in particular for the holding and sterile storage of surgical instruments or material, comprising a holding space, which is defined by a container base and container walls, a lid for closing the holding space and a gas exchange opening, which can be closed off by a sterile filter.
Sterile containers of the type described in the introduction, once they have been filled, for example with surgical instruments and/or material, are sterilized in a sterilizer using steam or other media. Consequently, the problem frequently arises whereby the lid, after the sterilizing operation, is wetted with liquid, in particular with residual condensate. This can then reach the sterile filter in an undesired manner. The same problem arises if the sterile container is inadvertently exposed to any liquid.
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to improve a sterile container of the type described in the introduction in such a manner that it is impossible for any liquid to reach the sterile filter in an undesired manner.